The present invention generally relates to cleaning devices for optical fibers. In particular, the present invention relates to a tool for viewing optical fibers, and cleaning the optical fibers when necessary.
Optical fibers are being widely used today for telecommunications applications such as for telephone and data transmission lines. They offer excellent transmission rates and large bandwidths, generally at a lower cost and at a significantly smaller size than old, conventional copper wire transmission lines. Additionally, the quality of voice and data transmissions using optical fibers is significantly greater, with much lower signal losses, than with copper wire. Accordingly, the use of applicable fibers enables a greater volume of telephone and data transmissions with potentially significantly less expense but with greater clarity and speed.
When building fiber optic networks, it is required that the end of each fiber be checked for dirt, smudges, etc. Technicians use a fiber scope that magnifies the end of the fiber to look for dirt, scratches, etc. If the fiber is dirty, the technician removes the fiber from the fiber scope and cleans the end of the fiber with a small plastic device containing a cleaning cloth. The cleaning device is then put down and the scope used once again to check the fiber. This process is repeated until the end of the fiber is clean. The process of using two devices to check and clean the ends of fibers has been found to be very tedious. Given the fact that technicians often install several hundred or even thousands of fibers each day, the use of two devices to perform these functions significantly increases the time to install the fibers.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tool which can both examine and clean the end of the fibers. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages
The present invention relates to a fiber scope and cleaning tool. The tool generally comprises a hand-held housing having a magnification and viewing system disposed therein. A fiber is inserted through a fiber inlet of the housing into the viewing system. If the fiber end is dirty or scratched, a fiber cleaning mechanism associated with the housing is used to clean the fiber.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the viewing system includes an eyepiece extending from the housing. A light connected to a power source is used to view the end of the fiber. A light switch may selectively power the light. A focus mechanism is included for bringing into focus the end of the fiber.
As there may be fibers of different diameter, the inlet includes an adapter having multiple aperture inlets.
The cleaning mechanism includes a strip of cleaning fabric that is spooled onto a roller and advanced to a second roller. A cover retractably overlies the cleaning fiber. Preferably, a switch is operatively connected to the cover and rollers to selectively retract the cover and advance the strip of fabric. The cleaning mechanism may comprise a disposable cartridge disposed within the housing having the spool of cleaning fabric extending between rollers and which can be disposed of and replaced within the cartridge.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.